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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24386917">Slip in Wonder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria'>HogwartsToAlexandria</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Play Caregiver Remus Lupin, Age Play Little Severus Snape, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Baby Clothes, Caregiver/little, Carrying, Communication, Coping, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, HP Daddy Fest, HP Daddy Fest 2020, Headspace, Infantilism, M/M, Married Couple, Napping, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pajamas &amp; Sleepwear, Pet Names, Protective Remus Lupin, Remus Lupin Lives, Rituals, Severus Snape Lives, Snark, Tickling, Trauma, What they have is love, baby severus snape, nappies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:48:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,355</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24386917</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Clothes maketh the man. Or in this case, the Little.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>And for Remus and Severus, this is a truth they live by, and have managed to make into a ritual that makes everything easier.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>HP Daddy Fest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Slip in Wonder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Finding this fest and writing this fic has brought be so much joy I'm very very grateful to both the mods and the prompter and all the prompters really because there were so many more I could have written. </p><p>Thank you to my wonderful beta B as well 💕</p><p>This fic fills <i>Prompt #108 - Any Pairing</i><br/>"Clothes maketh the man. Or in this case, the Little."</p><p>Hope you enjoy the read!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He could see him slipping, probably even before Severus realized it himself. The way his husband would start tucking the long strands of his hair behind his ears reflexively every few minutes, the way he blinked harder and longer, the way he worried at both of his lips in turn with unforgiving teeth. Mostly, the way Severus' hands would keep tugging on his left sleeve so it covered his wrist completely and even down to the middle of his palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" Remus asked gently when his initial question of whether he wanted a cup of tea since he was thinking of making himself one went unanswered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus looked up at him from where he'd been staring into the black screen of their brand new Muggle TV. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," Severus replied, a little more bite in his tone than was usual these days. Unless he felt himself slip into his headspace that is. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Keep me company while I make the tea?" Remus reached a hand down to help Severus up and off the couch, not surprised at all when he appeared a bit unsteady on his feet before he forcibly shook it off and glared at him — but from behind his hair, also a tell-tale sign. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop looking at me, that way." Severus grumbled as Remus smiled at him. "Said I'm fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I heard you," Remus bit the inside of his cheeks not to laugh, and turned around once Severus looked steady to head into their kitchen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The space always felt a bit cramped with the two of them in there and Severus being as tall as he was, but Remus wouldn't change it for anything, magically enlarged rooms just didn't feel as warm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't believe me," Severus prodded — getting needy already, Remus bit his lip, careful not to show his face to the other man, no matter the fact that he could probably tell even then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want me to?" Remus turned around again and leaned on the counter as his water boiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Am I supposed to answer that?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Careful Sev," Remus raised an eyebrow at the man, and if he wasn't completely sure before, the way his husband jerked his head to the side to avoid his gaze and tugged at his sleeve just a little harder instead of snapping at him did it. "What do you say we drink that, and then we go upstairs for a bit, hm?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a step closer to Severus, and raised a hand to do the hair tucking for him this time. Remus smiled again when Severus looked at him like he always did when it was just them — lost, unsure, almost shy, but still defensively defiant. He brushed gentle fingers down the man's cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay, darling," he said so softly it was almost a whisper, and watched the way Severus's lashes batted just a little quicker in response while his heart grew three sizes. "We can also skip the tea, would you prefer that?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus was always a patient man, it was in his nature, his friends needed it of him and the Wizarding World being what it was when it came to werewolves just meant he couldn't really afford to be anything but, no matter how trying it was at times. Severus had definitely always required that he be patient. Even before he even considered they might become more than the tentative relations they'd been to each other ever since school had ended. There was too much hurt, both between them and inside both of them. Too much history to work through. Too much trauma to even think of going about it at anything other than the speed of their snail-pace healing souls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting married at forty-five was certainly outside the norm for their society, and yet it suited them. Years upon years of building trust, of watching each other out of the corner of their eyes, of drawing closer, gentle all throughout, no matter the backlashes of Severus' fear of opening up to others. Discovering his little side had definitely been a surprise, one that took adjustments, but that brought Remus so much that he'd never known he needed… Having Severus let him in had been another battle, and still was from time to time, but in his own choked words one night he'd gone down on his own and subsequently broke down, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"It feels safer when you're with me."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A short nod. Shifty eyes. Trembling fingers. Sometimes slipping was more sudden than anticipated, but it always meant one thing for them, drop what you're doing and go back to that soft place as quickly as possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus kissed Severus' cheek then, one of his hands pulling his head to him so he could press his lips over the man's working jaw before he let go. He didn't go far, simply turned off the stove — tea could and would wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your hand?" Remus asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus' hand was still shaking slightly once Remus wound their fingers together but he simply held on, squeezed it from time to time and led them upstairs. The staircase was always a bit of a challenge when Severus was both slipping hard and fighting it. They made it though, made it to their bedroom and Remus closed the door behind them — the projection of safety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sit down for me, please," Remus asked, feeling himself slipping into his own particular headspace where everything became about Severus — his comfort, his well-being, the rest he needed and which Remus wanted so dearly to bring him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went to their closet and opened the third door, the one closest to the wall, smiling when all of Severus' things appeared in sight. He looked back at Severus to see him staring right at his clothes even as he still tugged on his sleeve on the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Footed or not?" Remus gave him the choice, probably the last choice Severus would want to make for another several hours at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus balanced his long legs off the floor. "Footed," he nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yep</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Remus thought to himself, definitely the last choice he'd make by himself today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ok love." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pajamas were a dark green and almost looked like clothes the way they were made, with a separation between top and bottom like they were a merged set of trousers and sweater. They were velvety to the touch, warm even before they were worn and they smelled like the special laundry detergent spell Remus had found in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>101: Little Space and How to Maintain It</span>
  </em>
  <span> guide online. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whether he meant to show it or not, Severus' eyes lit up as he saw them and Remus grinned at him. He put the pajamas down on the bed next to his husband before going back to the closet to get the box at the very bottom of it, and the one thing that would either make hell break loose and then bring Severus the assurance he needed when he crashed this hard, or give it to him right away — nappies. Every time was different, some mechanisms still stayed well in place. Severus could regress anywhere from the agespace of a teething baby to that of a seven year-old. Today did not look like the age of reason. It looked like snuggles and soft stories and maybe even bathing if Severus didn't just fall asleep on top of him soon after he got him into his clothes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clothes were always the thing that tipped him over the edge, stripped away his self-consciousness and allowed him to look exactly the way he needed to feel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here we go," Remus murmured as he leaned down to set his prized findings on one side of Severus, immediately unfolding and laying the fluffy bath towel he'd taken with him too on top of the bed. "Help me out, darling?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus hummed and just raised his arms over his head. Remus pulled his long-sleeved black tee-shirt off him gently, mindful not to ever touch the faded mark on his left arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Eyes on me, baby, eyes on me, always," Remus whispered reassuringly, the pet name coming out on reflex, maybe too soon, but Severus didn't look anything but comforted by it. Good. "Can you stand up?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus nodded but didn't move an inch other than that, making Remus laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stand up, Sev, can't get your pants off you like this." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," Severus stuttered a bit on the word, getting up just as clumsily, but keeping his eyes on Remus like he'd been asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No need to apologize, I promise," Remus squeezed the side of his neck gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it was all a matter of getting Severus bare in as little time as possible so he wouldn't get cold or squirming in discomfort like he was bound to do when he was this exposed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus kept an arm around him even as he laid the open footed pajamas down on the bed so Severus would only have to lay over it and he could close it around him. He did the same with the nappy, watching his husband carefully but discreetly as he did so, unsurprised by the little frown that set over his features, but he didn't say anything or utter a single word of protest. Good, indicative of what age exactly Remus was working with too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, hop on, beautiful," Remus encouraged with one last squeeze around Severus' hip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clumsy and definitely not the easiest part of getting settled for their sessions but magic was mostly out of the question when Severus went down like this. It triggered his insecurities too hard and too fast, which Remus was both loathe to see happen and could easily understand. So they did without, except for the carrying around, no way he could carry him as much as sometimes Severus needed without help. He could still remember how that conversation had gone and it always made him smile inwardly. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Are you insinuating my weight is a problem, Lupin?" </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Not nearly no," Remus had smiled an amused corner of the lips kind of smile at Severus' butt-hurt question. "You could even use a few more pounds as far as I'm concerned." </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Then what?" </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"I'm an old man, for one thing, and you are </span>
  </em>
  <span>tall </span>
  <em>
    <span>Severus. I need help." </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Severus had looked at him for a long while before he'd given a single nod of agreement, having found whatever he'd been looking for on Remus' face. Proof that he was telling him the whole truth of the matter probably. Remus didn't mind that. He wouldn't even care having him enter his mind for this, but Severus never used his legilimency skills anymore if he could avoid it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The pajamas, or any of Severus' little clothes were their chosen trick. Enchanted to take most of Severus' weight. It helped with walking too, when Severus was so little even putting one foot in front of the other gave him trouble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"All set," Remus traced Severus' nose with the pad of his index finger, "How are we feeling?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus' lashes fluttered at Remus' gentle touches over his face, his dark eyes jumping from place to place but eventually settling on Remus' own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Snuggle snuggle?" He asked shyly, and Remus grinned, his nose scrunching up — Severus Snape, being cute, was still something of a wonder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh yes, that sounds like a great idea," he told him, tickling gentle fingers over Severus' stomach, watching him squirm a bit, his fingers folded into fists as he tried to push Remus away with breathy little laughs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus couldn't help glancing at the way Severus' still played with the hem of his sleeve, but these pajamas had a thumb loop, so they would never slip down and accidentally reveal what was sure to send his baby into a spiral. The greatest idea Remus had had in a while if he could say so himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here, or downstairs?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Down," Severus decreed very gravely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sir!" Remus answered in kind, watching his baby's lips stretch in the corners a bit. He couldn't wait to see him grin the way Severus only ever did when he was little. "In my arms little lad," </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Severus readily looped his arms around Remus' shoulders, letting himself be pulled to the edge of the bed before he did the same with his legs around his hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting settled didn't take them long once they'd regained the living room. The sofa was thankfully large enough that they could both lie down, Remus on his back and Severus wedged between his side and the back cushions. Remus spent the time petting his husband's hair gently, playing with his fingers and dropping soft kisses to the top of his head. They just breathed, in tandem and gently drifting together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only a long while later did Severus start squirming a little, the need for a distraction of any kind coming down on him hard, and Remus shushed him softly. He twisted around to reach the remote of the TV on the coffee table and turned it on, switching between channels to find something suitable to Severus' agespace and chuckled at the little awed </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Mulan,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> whisper that dropped in his ear when Disney+ was precisely featuring the movie atop their browsing page. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span><em><span>Mulan</span>
  </em>
  <span> it is, love," Remus set the remote back once the movie got started and settled back more comfortably so he could keep rereading the book he’d left at the foot of the sofa. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Aquatic Wonders of Yorkshire: A Wizard's Field Guide</span></em>, there was comfort in relearning the known, and fantastic beasts had always been something of a hobby for him even before they became one of his specialties.
</p><p>
  <span>It was quiet, and peaceful, and exactly what they both needed. If Remus hadn't been so preoccupied with finding himself a new apprentice, he would probably have tried to set up a session himself, just because he knew how hard it was for Severus to do it, and how scary slipping always was for him, however predictable it could get. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell asleep just as they were, probably halfway through </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mulan</span>
  </em>
  <span> and their afternoon, Severus soothed and Remus content. </span>
</p>
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